UAE nationals can now renew Emirates ID cards 12 months before expiry
Citizens can now renew passports and Emirates IDs together in one transaction
Abu Dhabi: UAE nationals can now renew their Emirates ID cards up to one year before they expire, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security has announced.
The change took effect on Tuesday, 14 July 2026, doubling the previous early-renewal window from six months to 12 months.
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The decision is part of ICP's strategy to adopt innovative and proactive digital solutions that enhance customers' quality of life, reinforce the UAE's leadership, meet the evolving expectations of citizens, and enable them to access services earlier, allowing them to manage their affairs more efficiently through a flexible service ecosystem and an advanced digital infrastructure.
The initiative complements ICP's earlier decision to allow UAE nationals to renew their passports up to one year before expiry.
Where the expiry dates coincide, citizens will now be able to renew both their passport and Emirates ID in a single integrated transaction, reducing time and effort while expanding the number of beneficiaries who can take advantage of the combined renewal service.
Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director General of ICP, stated that extending the Emirates ID renewal period from six months to one year reflects the UAE leadership's directives to deliver proactive government services.
He added that the initiative also demonstrates ICP's commitment to responding to citizens' expectations and accommodating their needs by offering greater flexibility, enabling them to complete their transactions at a time that best suits them, thereby enhancing quality of life, increasing customer satisfaction, and contributing to their overall well-being.
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He further noted that the UAE holds a leading global position in the field of identity cards, both in terms of the ease of issuance and the quality, security, reliability, and strength of the card itself.
He also highlighted its extensive use in accessing government services through a unique electronic integration network linking government and private sector entities.
He explained that the decision provides further momentum to strengthen the regional and global standing of the UAE Emirates ID, positioning the country's identity card issuance and renewal ecosystem as a model for other countries in the region and beyond.
He added that enabling Emirates ID renewal one year before expiry supports the objectives of the UAE's Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme by simplifying the customer journey, reducing procedural duplication, strengthening service integration, and leveraging artificial intelligence technologies.
The initiative aligns with ICP's vision of delivering fully integrated proactive services, advancing from operational excellence to proactive leadership, and transforming service delivery from standalone services to integrated bundles, and from a reactive model to a proactive one.
